Call Me Quirky

Here is a David Noonan article (found here below at MSNBC and in Newsweek) about "quirky" kids, who would otherwise be labeled as having mild psycological disorders.

MSNBC - Why Don't We Call Them Quirky?

While some children may have serious disorders requiring medication and therapy, I believe most would be better served by nurturing their eccentric nature. Why anyone would want to be "normal"(normal does NOT equal happy)is beyond my comprehension. The greatest minds are inherently a bit odd, because it is not normal to be highly intelligent or exceptionally talented. Let us supposed someone is eleven years old and in the junior honor society, reading at a college level, is fascinated by number base systems, and writes poetry all day, then they are highly intelligent, right? Take the same person, who avoids all inanimate objects in groupings of four, is clueless about social interaction, has hypersensitive hearing, prefers dim lighting, and hates the feeling of cotton balls and sock seams, then suddenly this person can (on paper) become someone with a mild case of some disorder. Sometimes kids are truely just misunderstood and lack the nuturing needed from parents, teachers, and the rest of the community. Children, who are medicated without need, risk reactions to the medicines, increased suicidal tendancies, future chemical dependency, and will be deemed unfit for military and some governmental career paths . Many of my favorite people are socially retarded eccentric and neurotic geeks and that is part of what makes them... well, them.

Dyslexia is another irritating label. Sure some people may have difficulties reading and spelling, but this label often limits potentials from what I have seen. Dyslexics are photographic thinkers and that is a gift. Their prefered medium for expression is not pen to paper... so what? Teach them differently. Einstein was not a gifted writer and he was kinda smart, no? Beethoven may have disliked adding and subtracting numbers, but that does not detract from his genius?

We need to be careful as to not over medicate and label away the genius and uniqueness from our society. I do not want to be normal. I think word play is funny, but don't get Leno. I have petite mal-like moments, I get really nervous before social situations, I relate to animals better than to people, and have a hard time telling time on a clock. I am deathly afraid of open heights, cannot read facial expressions accurately, have enormous highs and lows in mood, and numerous other quirks. Over the years, I have become far more socialized than that dorky seventh grader, and can now work a room (though I am mentally exhausted afterwards) better than most anyone. I finally accepted who I am and have worked on learning skills to cope with my more unpleasant quirks. Psycology is too trendy of a field for me to take it seriously. If a quack wanted to, she could label me Aspergers or Bipolar... hell, she could shock my personality away like poor Gene Tierney. Mighty fine lookin' lady, that Ms. Tierney, eh?

Cheers...

is on t.v.


(chuckle)

What a REAL Patriotic Speech looks like...

What Our Small Group Can Do

Here is a speech by Doris Haddock, a brilliant and inspirational American. She eloquently addresses neoliberalism, politics of fear, and governmental reform. I could not have said it better, so have a read.